Vanlife in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire: A Filming Locations Tour in Your Don Amott Campervan

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire boast environments which make them perfect for possible use as filming locations. From stunning countryside landscapes and rural British charm to inner city concrete brutalism and historic architecture, these two Midlands counties offer an abundance of choices for those who work in film and TV.

For campervan enthusiasts who happen to also be TV and film lovers, there’s no better day on the road than a trip to check in on the filming locations from your favourite show or big screen effort. Whether you’ve got there in a new or used campervan (from Don Amott, of course) doesn’t matter – the mental red carpet is waiting and the buzz of standing in the spot where your favourite scene was made just can’t be beaten.

So, this edition of our blog is a special guide to some of the must-visit locations right on our doorstep, where some of the most iconic screen moments were made.

Derbyshire filming locations

Dead Man’s Shoes

Written and directed by Shane Meadows and starring Paddy Considine, the gritty psychological thriller Dead Man’s Shoes was filmed in and around the small scenic town of Matlock in 2004.

Some scenes were shot at Riber Castle, a ruined 19th-century mansion perched on a hill, which served as a dramatic backdrop for the film’s unsettling atmosphere, though most were filmed in the streets of Matlock itself (try Wolds Rise, Bakewell Road, Hurst Rise and Alfreton Road, amongst others). The ruined barn at Motson’s Farm near Bonsall, just outside Matlock, is also a significant location in Dead Man’s Shoes.

Pride and Prejudice

Chatsworth House is a masterpiece of English stately home architecture and has featured in more than one adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

Most notable was the 2005 film (the one starring Keira Knightley) in which Chatsworth stood in as Pemberley, Mr Darcy’s home. The house, its grounds and gardens are open to visitors, which offers lovers of this silver screen version of Jane Austen’s 1813 literary classic a unique opportunity to stroll the same paths as heroine Elizabeth Bennet. It’s interesting to note that it’s believed Jane Austen based her idea of Pemberley on Chatsworth House and wrote the novel while staying in nearby Bakewell.

The Duchess

Keira Knightley must really love Derbyshire as, once again, she starred in something filmed at one of our road trip choices.

Kedleston Hall was used as the primary location for The Duchess in 2008, with the grandeur of the house and its opulent interiors serving as the perfect backdrop for portraying the luxury and complexities of aristocratic life. This 18th-century manor has a car park suitable for campervans, allowing for easy access to the hall and its beautiful gardens, and a visit here not only lets you step into the worlds of Georgian high society and British filmmaking but also provides plenty of picturesque picnic spots!

Jane Eyre

Haddon Hall is a beautifully preserved medieval manor which originated in the 11^th century (though has been added to over subsequent centuries). Sited on the River Wye near Bakewell, the house has doubled as Thornfield Hall in various adaptations of Jane Eyre. The haunting and gothic romance of Haddon’s atmospheric interiors and picturesque grounds perfectly suit visual versions of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel. The 2011 version (starring Mia Wasikowska) extensively featured the rooms and gardens of Haddon Hall, with each corner revealing a scene – or one of the many other productions – filmed here.

The Other Boleyn Girl

Dovedale’s dramatic limestone gorge and stepping stones are a real favourite with filmmakers. The Other Boleyn Girl (which starred Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson in 2008) featured the area’s rugged beauty as a backdrop to Anne Boleyn’s walks through the countryside, complete with cliffs, woodlands and stepping stone rivers. Dovedale has also been used in the BBC TV version of Jane Eyre in 2006 (most notably for when Rochester rides out of the mist to meet Jane for the first time) and in the 2010 Russell Crowe version of Robin Hood, including a scene in which Crowe rides his horse through Thorpe Pastures.

Nottinghamshire filming locations

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

We just mentioned the Russell Crowe version of Robin Hood, but perhaps the most well-known adaptation of the classic outlaw legend is the Kevin Costner version from 1991, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Sherwood Forest is one of Nottinghamshire’s most iconic locations and the Major Oak – an ancient tree reputed to have been used as a base by Robin Hood and his men – played a significant role in the film’s lore. Although the tree has been fenced off for decades now, so you won’t be able to go right up to it, you can still get close enough to be thrilled by this cinema connection – and by the connection to the actual Robin Hood! While in Sherwood Forest, you can also explore the many trails and learn more at the Visitor Centre.

The Dark Knight Rises

Wollaton Hall, a spectacular Elizabethan mansion within the city of Nottingham itself, was used as Wayne Manor in The Dark Knight Rises. This 2012 addition to the Batman canon, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale as ‘the Caped Crusader’, filmed important scenes using the Hall’s grand façade and sprawling parkland. In the summer of 2011, filming took place across a fortnight of nights for the plot-integral garden party scene, with hundreds of locals as extras. Inside, the mansion houses a natural history museum, and the grounds include a deer park perfect for strolls – so once you’ve got your Batman kick out of the way you can also enjoy Wollaton Hall on its own terms.

This Is England

We started with Shane Meadows so, with some neatness, we’ll end this blog with some of his work too. The iconic This Is England, directed by Meadows in 2006, depicts life in a working-class neighbourhood in the 1980s. The film and subsequent TV series were shot in and around St. Ann’s, Lenton and The Meadows in Nottingham. These areas, with their red-brick terraces, provided the film with a raw and authentic setting. Interestingly, This Is England does not name Nottingham as its specific location and is set in an unnamed East Midlands town (with some scenes actually filmed at the docks on the Lincolnshire coast in Grimsby). However, walking through the streets of Nottingham where Shaun, Combo, Lol and the gang once roamed, you’ll get a film-lover’s feel for the film’s gritty realism. 

Getting in your campervan and exploring the filming locations of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire is a fantastic way to experience interesting places and the region’s natural beauty through the prism of film history. Each stop on this tour offers you the chance to walk (or drive!) through other worlds created by some of our most celebrated filmmakers. Do so in a campervan from Don Amott for a star performance!

Source: https://www.chatsworth.org/news-media/chatsworth-on-film/pride-and-prejudice/

Source: https://letsgopeakdistrict.co.uk/dovedale-2/